THE PANAMA CANAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 36, 29 September 1914, Page 6

THE PANAMA CANAL.

COMPLETED AFTER 34 YEARS. Following is a chronological history of the important steps, in buildup the Panama Canal from its start by the 'French company to its completion by the American Government:— First. Blast '/on Ciilebra Hill, now CHilebraCiit',, on January, 10, 1880, y the'be iiesseps. Company, in the presence of a distinguished gathering.

First bility of 'digging a sea-level canal within the estimated 12 years and at the estimated cost of £48,000,000 became apparent. More than £52;000,000 had already" been spent. The company went into bankruptcy. "First work on a lock Canal was taken up by tlie'New Panama Canal Com-' pany in 1894, which practically ceased operations after five years work. First digging by Americans, May. 4, 1904. taking over the /rights and pro : perfey Of' the''French Canal Company, and "obtaining' necessary concession from' the Republic of Panama. First union,of Atlantic.and Pacific up'.of the Gamboa Dike) wjien" President Wilson toucho/1 an "electric button m Washington, October id; 1913. First boat of any. kind to make Trans-Isthmiaii " , pas'sage'.-Nameless mud scow of,'the Panama, railroad, which passed from the Pacific entrance to Culebra! Cut in November, 1913, and was, sent to the Atlantic entrance m December, 1913. ~ First, vessel to. steam through.—lhe crane boat Alexander La Valley, an old Frencji \soat of 1200 tons, 'which. passed"'from?the/Atlantic to the Pacific on" January 7, 1914. First raan'to swim through the Canal was Alfred Brown,' an American, who, swam from Gatun. Locks to Balboa, a distance of 30 miles, on November 241 last,'.'in 16 hours ,35 minutes actual swimming time. First vessel to pass completely around South America by way of the. Canal was the tug Reliance, Captain R C. Thompson, which sailed from Colon. February 11, 1912, voyaged 10,500 miles around South 'America,, and '-returned, to the Atlantic Ocean through Gatun Locks February 1 last.